Florida Practitioner's Guide - Civil Trial Preparation, 7th Edition

Publisher: Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education

Florida Practitioner's Guide - Civil Trial Preparation 7th ed. (formerly published as FasTrain Florida Civil Trial Preparation) is designed to guide the attorney through all phases of trial preparation, from interviewing the client to preparing the closing argument and jury instructions. Details regarding trial notebooks, pretrial motions, discovery, and evidentiary issues are provided to help the attorney focus and advance the case, and settlement options are explored as a prudent alternative to trial. Each phase of preparation is individually covered, and thoroughly cross-referenced. This new edition includes new user-friendly formatting, as well as addressing amended rules, revised statutes, and new case law.

• amendments to the rules of judicial administration and rules of civil procedure regarding service of pleadings and documents; preservation and production of electronically stored information; requirements for offers of settlement and demands for judgment; and use of electronic devices in the courtroom;
• revisions to Florida Statutes regarding expert opinion testimony under the Daubert standard; and
• new case law addressing:
• juror challenges for cause;
• right to amend pleadings;
• avoiding prejudice by separating causes of action;
• sanctions for failure to attend case management conferences or for failure to comply with discovery orders;
• timing and effect of dismissal for failure to prosecute;
• effect of voluntary dismissal of action;
• discovery of trade secrets, work product, financial worth, and postings on social networks;
• appropriate timing for summary judgment motions;
• disqualification of trial judges; and
• attorneys'fees and retaining liens.

Ervin A. Gonzalez

Ervin A. Gonzalez is a 1985 graduate cum laude of the University of Miami School of Law where he now serves as an adjunct professor for the trial skills litigation program. He is licensed to practice law in Florida (state and federal), Washington D.C., Texas (state and federal), New York, Colorado (state and federal), the U.S. District Courts of Arizona and Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Gonzalez is Florida Bar Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Business Litigation. He formerly served on The Florida Bar Board of Governors and is a former member of The Florida Bar Civil Procedure Rules Committee. He is also a member and past president of the Dade County Bar Association and the Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, and is a former director of the Florida Justice Association (f/k/a the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers). Mr. Gonzalez is an elected member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and an appointed member of the National Board of Trustees for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Mr. Gonzalez frequently writes and lectures for the American Bar Association, the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, The Florida Bar, the Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, and other bar associations. He has appeared on 20/20, CNN, Dateline, and NPR, and his published works include the Dade County Trial Lawyers Advanced Trial Handbook. Since 2005, he has consistently been ranked as one of America's leading lawyers by various sources, including Lawyer Weekly USA, The Daily Business Review, Florida Super Lawyers, Florida Trend Magazine, South Florida Legal Guide, and Who's Who Legal: Florida. Mr. Gonzalez is a partner with Colson Hicks Eidson Colson Matthews Martinez Gonzalez Kalbac & Kane in Coral Gables.

The Florida Bar

Protecting Rights, Pursuing Justice, Promoting Professionalism.

The mission of The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee is to assist members of The Florida Bar in their continuing legal education and to facilitate the development, production, and delivery of quality CLE opportunities for the benefit of Bar members in coordination with the sections, committees, and staff of The Florida Bar and others who participate in the CLE process.

Through a joint publishing relationship, The Florida Bar and LexisNexis have combined their expertise to best serve the information needs of those practicing law in Florida.

Florida Civil, Judicial, Small Claims, and Appellate Rules with Florida Evidence Code, 2016 Edition
This latest edition of Florida Rules of Civil, Judicial, Small Claims, and Appellate Rules with Florida Evidence Code, 2016 Edition is a handy go-to reference that every practitioner should keep close at hand. It features the full text of the Rules of Civil Procedure, Judicial Administration, Small Claims and Appellate Rules, with the committee notes, rule histories, and statutory and rule references for each rule